My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Insight

Have you ever had a day where every little thing got to you? I'm talking about fuming over situations that generally you would not care about or notice. Those times when you rage over someone being late or driving too slow, your kids not picking up their room, being unable to find the television remote, people pronouncing words wrong, writers who make long lists (okay, I bet you get my point).

Well, yesterday was that day for me. Everywhere I turned I found some reason to be annoyed, irritated, or agitated. It felt like the universe had it out for me. But, that's impossible. Either the entire world had managed to get together on the same page and formulate a mischievous plan to bother me, or something else was going on, someone else was to blame. And that person was me.

When little things turn into BIG things, it speaks to deeper, unaddressed issues taking place within us. If you've ever been caught off-guard by your words and actions and found yourself wondering, "Where did that come from?" the answer is your heart.

The storm damaged more than property; it took a toll on our souls. Rebuilding a community doesn't just involve repairing homes and businesses; it entails restoring and renovating our hearts. We've come together, rolled up our sleeves and are working feverishly to get our city back on its feet. But, in the midst of the restoration, we mustn't ignore our well-being.

Right now, many in our community carry with them heavy hearts. We're feeling stressed, overwhelmed and uncertain. Some of us have more questions than answers. The devastating gusts took the wind out of us. We experienced a collective trauma. This is our reality and to ignore this fact only does more destruction.

When you notice little things rising to the level of big things, pause and take notice. Explore what's going on behind the scenes. Even though the storm has passed, the emotional aftershocks remain. The events which transpired are too powerful for us to manage by ourselves. Share your burdens with God and then with others. Addressing the signs and symptoms of stress doesn't make one weak or crazy, it makes them normal.

Reflection

Where are you treating little things like big things? What's causing you to be agitated and annoyed with these things?

How is your heart holding up?

Prayer

God, my heart remains burden - for myself and those around me. I'm prone to stuff those feelings inside and get to work, but that does me no good or make the hurt go away. Let me bring You my cares and worries. Help me to tend my heart by looking to You as well as the support of my community. In Your name Jesus, Amen.